Rester opens northern Europe’s first textile recycling center in Finland

Finnish recycling company, Rester, has partnered with the waste management firm, Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto Oy (LSJH), to open Northern Europe’s largest textile recycling facility located in Paimio’s Green Field Hub region, to convert textiles into recycled fibers under one roof. The recycling plant is expected to process 12 million kilograms of textiles annually.

One of the partners defines the responsibilities of each company in a press release, stating that Rester will take wasted textiles from businesses, while LSJH will handle the domestic textile waste. The facility will be able to treat 10% of Finland’s yearly textile waste, according to the two companies.

Paimio’s factory will help minimize waste by converting discarded textiles into recycled raw materials that can be used to make a variety of products. Companies can make yarn, insulation, filter cloths, and other items, according to LSJH. As a result, both Rester and LSJH are asking businesses to get engaged and learn about the processing options for recycled fibers.

Outi Luukko, CEO of Rester, said that as environmental issues grow more prominent and EU rules tighten, it is in the producers’ best interests to employ recycled materials to the greatest extent possible. They can instantly affect the materials’ circular economic share thanks to the active collaboration between the partners. It’s gratifying to be able to participate and use a material that was previously categorized as garbage as high-quality raw material.

Jukka Heikkilä, the CEO of LSJH, said that the waste firm has been collecting and sorting wasted textiles from houses since 2015, and has been looking into recycling options for nearly a decade. As a result, the opening of Northern Europe’s first textile recycling center is seen as a significant achievement that will surely impact regional businesses and the establishment of comparable facilities.